Running-gear for vehicles.



PATENTBD DEC. 29, 190s.l

J. KRAUSS.

RUNNING GEAR FUR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21, 1903.

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UNITED 'STATESV Patented December 29, 1903.

JACOB KRAUSS, OF LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY.

RUNNING-GEAR FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 748,080, datedDecember 29, 1903.

Application iilecl January 21, 1903. Serial No. 140.006. (No model.)

TO'LLZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JACOB KRAUss, a resident of Lexington, inthe countyof Fayette and State of Kentucky, haveinvented certain new and usefulImprovements in Running- Gear for Vehicles; andI do hereby declare thefollowing to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in running-gear for vehicles, andmore particularly to the front-truck construction, the object of theinvention being to provide an improved construction of this characterwhich will enable the vehicle to turn in a comparatively short space anddispense with the necessity for osets or cut-unders in the vehicle-body.

With this object in view the invention consists in certain novelfeatures of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, aswill be more fully hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings,A Figure lis a plan view illustrating myimprovements. Fig. 2 is a side view, and Fig. 3 is a rear view; and Fig.4 is a view in vertical section, taken through the center of Fig. 3, thebolt l0 and the nut thereon being shown in elevation.

1 represents the wheel-axle, on which elliptical springs 2 are secured,and these springs are connected at their top by a cross-bar 3, rigidlysecured thereto.

To the upper face of the springs 2 is rigidly secured by clipsor'otherwise a bar 4. This bar 4 is bent into the general shapeshownthat is, its ends 6 6 are bent and project at an approximate rightangle to the main or intermediate portion thereof and are securedbetween their ends to the springs, as above exf plained, and they arealso bent upward and constructed to receive the thills. The main portionof this bar 4 is thus disposed some distance back or in rear of bar 3and in a ver- .tical plane in rear of axle 1, and this main orintermediate portion of bar 4 is made up of an upper metal plate 12, alower metal plate '13, and an intermediate filler of wood 14a, securedtogether and to the s ide members of the bar by bolts 14, as clearlyshown in Fig.-3. While 1 preferably thus construct the bar for wheel.

the purposes of economy and elasticity,it may be made of one continuousbar of metal, and when this bar is hereinafter referred to and mentionedin the claims it is to be understood that it may be a continuous bar ofmetal or comprise several sections secured together. The upper plate 12has a tubular lug 7 to enter asocketed plate 15, secured to the body 17,and receive the king-bolt 10. A strap 16 extends rearward from theking-bolt to the vehicle-body and serves to relieve this connection oftwisting strain due to the draft on the vehicle.

A half-wheel 8 is secured on bars 3 and 4 and :forms the lower member ofthe fifth- The upper member of the fifth-wheel comprises a completecircle or ring 9, secured to the body timbers or sills, and theking-bolt 10 enters tubular lug 7 and pivotally connects the` body andgear.

To the bar 4 the steps 11 are rigidly secured, and the several partsreferred to may be securedtogether in any approved manner.

By constructing myimprovement-s as above explained it will be seen thatwhile the weight of the vehicle-body is equally distributed andsupported from the center of the springs the pivotal point of the gearis in a vertical plane somewhat in rear of the axle, thus permitting thewheels to be moved a considerable distance in turning without strikingthe body, and thus enable the vehicle t0 make a much shorter turn thanwould be the case were the pivotal point in the same vertical plane asthe axle. I provide a close-coupled vehicle, dispensing altogether withthe necessity for a coupling-pole for drawing the rear part of the gear.I also equally distribute the weight throughout the fifth-wheel andsupport from the center of the springs and can hitch the horse close tothe vehicle. I can also provide large front wheels and at the same timehave a short turning-gear without the necessity fora cutunder in thebody, thus giving this'additional room to the vehicle.

Changes mightbe made in the general form and arrangement 0f the partsdescribed without departing from my invention, and hence I do not connemyself to the precise details set forth, but consider myself at libertyto make such slight changes and alterations as IOO fairly fall withinthe spirit and scope 0f my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a vehiclelgearing, the combination with an axle and two fullelliptical springs secured at their centers to the axle, of a crossbarlocated directly over the axle and connecting the upper members of saidsprings at the center of each spring, a U -shaped bar having itsparallel arms disposed upon the springs and secured thereto at the endsof the cross-bar connecting the centers of the springs, the cross memberof said U-shaped bar disposed parallel to and a distance rearwardly ofthe cross-bar connecting the springs and a fifth-Wheel member securedcentrally upon the cross member of the U-shaped bar and also secured tothe cross-bar connecting the springs.

2. In a vehicle-gear, the combination with an axle and full ellipticalsprings secured at their centers thereto,of a cross-har locatedimmediately over the axle and connecting the upper members of saidsprings at the center of each spring, a U-shaped bar having two parallelmembers disposed upon the springs and secured thereto at the ends of thecrossbar connecting the centers of the springs, the cross member of saidU-shaped bar disposed a distance in rear of said cross-bar, a fthwheelmember secured to the cross member Vber secured to said bar, a king-boltpassing through the cross member of the U-shaped bar, and a rod securedat one end to said king-bolt, extending rearwardly and adapted at itsrear end for attachment to a sill of the vehicle.

4. In a vehicle-gear, the combination with an axle and two fullelliptical springs secured centrally thereto, of a bar over the axle andsecured at its ends to the top centers of the elliptical springs, and aU-shaped bar having side members disposed at right angles to the axleand secured to the top centers of the springs, the forward ends of saidside members of the U-shaped har constructed to receive a draft deviceand the cross member of said U-shaped bar disposed rearwardly of theaxle and parallel therewith.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

JACOB KRAUSS.

Witnesses:

MARY BELLE MITCHELL, J. L. WATKINS.

